THE STORY OF DUBROVNIK AND HIS MONUMENTS
Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro
STRADUN
The story of Dubrovnik and his monuments cannot start in no other way but
with Stradun or Placa - the Old Town's main street. It is favourite promenade
walk of Dubrovnik citizens as well as tourists from all over the world,
aproximately 300 meter long. Stradun runs from Pile gate on the west to Ploe
gate on the east. As a pedestrian zone it follows the line of the channel that once
divided town into two parts. The street came into being in the 12th century, was
paved in 1468. and reconstructed after the earthquake of 1667. Last damages
Stradun endured during war in 1991. when according to the Meyer of Dubrovnik
at that time, Petar Poljani, 1056. grenades were dropped on the Old town, of
which 56 fell on Stradun.
PILE GATE
Pile gate is considered to be the main entrance to the Old Town. A stone bridge
supported by two gothic arches ends at another bridge, wooden drawbridge
connecting the Old Town with rest of the city. Above the bridges, over the arch,
the statue of city patron St. Blaise (Sv. Vlaho) is set. Once you have crossed the
bridge and walked down the stairs to get to Stradun, next great work of art that
will probably catch your eye is Big Onofrio's Fountain.
BIG ONOFRIOS FOUNTAIN
The Big Onofrios Fountain is a 16-sided drinking fountain built by Onofrio de
la Cava. Fountain is a part of the town's water supply system which Onofrio
managed to create by bringing the water from the well in Rijeka Dubrovaka,
located 20 km from actual fountain making this construction a masterpiece of
that time. Once a traveler has refreshened himself from a fountain which is in
use even today, after 570 years, it is time to venture to Franciscan Monastery
which is to the right side of Stradun, across the fountain.
FRANCISCAN MONASTERY
Address: Placa 2, phone: +385 20 321 410 Open: 9 am -6 pm, entrance fee: 30 kn, children 15 kn
The monastery is most famous for its pharmacy, third oldest in Europe, but the
only one still working. The inventories, ceramics, bowls, laboratory equipment
and old medical books of the old Pharmacy are kept in the Franciscan
Monastery Museum, among other highly valued and priceless objects of
Dubrovnik's historic and cultural past. Cluster of the Franciscan Monastery is
considered to be a masterpiece of architecture in Dubrovnik. The construction
started in 1337. It is built in transitional Romanesque-Gothic style. In 1667 it
was completely destroyed in the Great Earthquake. The door with Pieta at
Stradun is the only thing left from the original church after it has been rebuilt in
17th century. Underneath pieta, there is a gargoyle below knee height. The trick
is to stand on it facing the wall-it's the test of a real man!
CHURCH OF ST. SAVIOUR
Near Franciscan monastery and Big Onofrios Fountain its place holds the
Church of St. Saviour, as first church on the main street Stradun. It is built
around 1520. as a votive church. After a big earthquake in 1520. had hit
Dubrovnik, around 20 people were killed, and damage on the buildings was big.
The citizens of Dubrovnik thought how hill Sr would fall on the city. As a sign
of gratitude for that not happening, Dubrovnik Senat decided to build this
church. The church has typically Dalmatian Renaissance wheel-window front
and Gothic interiors.
ORLANDOS COLUMN
On the other, east end of Stradun, knight Orlando, one who helped defend
Dubrovnik against Saracens, awaits and greets. The state decrees were
proclaimed from the statue. Punishments were also executed there. The forearm
of Orlando was the standard measure of the Ragusan cubit, lakat, shown more
accurately by a line in the base. Flag raised above the statue symbolizes the wish
for freedom of the Dubrovnik Republic (Libertas).
ST BLAISE CHURCH
Entrance is free
On the right side of Orlandos column stands St. Blaise church who is the patron
and protector of Dubrovnik. It is a baroque church built in between 1705 and
1717 (to replace the building of 1368 that was lost by fire) . St. Blaise Church is
built on the plan of a Greek cross and topped with a grand dome. Its wide
staircase is a popular place for weary tourists to have a rest while watching
people passing by. Inside the church are numerous art treasures saved from the
earlier church, including a gold-plated silver statue of St. Blaise, holding a 15th-
century model of the city, at the main altar.
PALACE SPONZA
On the left from Orlando's column there is one of the most important buidings in
the city, Pallace Sponza. It represents a harmonious blend of Gothic and
Renaissance architecture.Throughout the times of the Dubrovnik Republic it had
different purposes and was used as a custom house, a mint and main warehouse.
The interior of Sponza consists in a round and spacious court, arranged as a
double cloister, with round arches below and slightly pointed arches on the first
floor. First floor was used for social gatherings and meetings of learned and
literary societies. Ground floor houses exhibitions of artists and festival concerts
and contains the original 16th mechanism controling the town bell and clock.
Palace remained in continuous public use until the end of the 19 th century.
CITY BELL TOWER
The elegant Bell Tower, 35m tall, dating from 1444. is connected to Palace
Sponza. It got broken down and rebuilt in 1928. Modern clock, with bronze
jacks in the form of soldiers that strike the hour (Maro and Baro) is a faithful
copy, with the addition of a figured time indicator, of which one dates from
1478. (original can be seen in Sponza palace). Huge bell in the tower, over 2000
kilos in weight, is the only original detail from the first bell tower dating from
1501. On St. Blaise's day, a lottery is held in a space connecting palace Sponza
and Bell Tower. A man in charge of lottery is reading the numbers while
citizens throw different vegetables and fruit at him.
SMALL ONOFRIO'S FOUNTAIN
Small Onofrios fountain is in intermediate vicinity of St. Blaise church. Onofrio
de la Cava who projected Big Onofrios fountain projected this one too. It was
erected in 1438. In middle ages it also had a religious meaning. Only Christians
used it.It is in the shape of an octagonal basin with defaced sculptural panels,
from which rises a 'baroque-Gothic' column. Near that fountain there used to be
another fountain where only Jews got water. In third street, udioska, counting
from Palace Sponza there is a Synagogue, said to be the oldest in Balkans and
third oldest in Europe. It is closed on Saturdays and Sundays- check the fee, and
working times.
RECTOR'S PALACE
Working hours in winter (3 November - 21 March):9.00 am - 4.00 pm, every day Working hours in summer (22 March - 2 November): 9.00 am - 6.00 pm, every day. Entrance fee for adults 40 kn, children: 20kn
This is the most important building from which all decisions and laws regardingthe governing of Dubrovnik Republic were brought. It is built in in a mixture ofGothic and Renaissance styles, probably due to two explosions that happened in1435. and 1463., as well as the Great Earthquake in 1667., after which theRector's Palace was badly damaged. The name clearly states it was the home ofthe Rector who was elected by the Great council to represent the Republic for amonth. During that time he wasn't allowed to leave the palace at anytime excepton government business which completely fits into the Dubrovnik Republicprinciple clearly stated above the doors of the Great council hall: "Oblitiprivatorum, publica curate" which meant "Forget private and deal with publicbusiness". Today a historical museum is placed in it, as well as many otherexhibitions and concerts.
CATHEDRAL
Working hours in summer (4 April - 1 November): Work days 9.00 am - 5.00 pm , Sundays and holidays 11.00 am - 5.00 pm Working hours in winter: Work days 10.00 am - 12.00 am and 3.00 pm - 5.00 pm Sundays and holidays 11.00 am - 12.00 am and 3.00 pm - 5.00 pm. No entrance fee, except for treasury 15kn
Dubrovnik's Cathedral stands in the center of Poljana Marin Dri, close to
Rector's Palace. The first Dubrovnik Cathedral was built from the 12th to the
14th century in Romanesque style. It was destroyed in the Great Earthquake in
1667 and the present Cathedral was built on its place.This Romanesque Baroque
style Cathedral is a cruciform in plan, a three-hall building which contains a rich
treasury and a line of paintings by top masters. According to legend, Cathedral
from 12th century was built with money of english king Richard of Lion heart
who had experienced a shipwreck near island Lokrum after he came back from
the Third crusade war in 1192.
GUNDULI and POLJANA SQUARE
Once you have ventured to Cathedral, next stop should be Poljana and Gunduli
square. Right to Cathedral there is a passage that leads to Poljana square with
caffe bars where you can rest and gather all impressions before continuing to
Gunduli square. The square got name after Ivan Gunduli, the most famous
poet of Dubrovnik. The statue of Ivan Gunduli dominates the square erected by
the grateful citizens in 1892. In the mornings the square serves as a market
where people come and sell their homegrown fruit and vegetables as well as
lavander, rosemary and other essential oils that originate from countryside of
Dubrovnik.
THE JESUIT CHURCH
From Gunduli square, Jesuite Street leads to the foot of the imposing
staircase ,modeled in 1738. on the 'Spanish Steps' in Rome, mounting to St.
Ignazio, baroque church of the Jesuits, designed in 1725. It is situated in Plazza
Ruer Bokovi, named after renomed astronomist,mathematician, physicist and
philosohpher after which a Classical gymnasium that is attached to the church
got name.
DOMINICAN MONASTERY
If you still havent had enough of Dubrovniks monumental beauty, you can
come back to the Bell tower, walk under the arch and continue walking till you
reach Dominican Monastery. Inside the monastery there is a museum with
artifacts from Dubrovnik's goldsmiths, reliquaries and other sacral objects. It's
painting collection contains many works of the old masters from the 14th to 20th
century. The library of Dominican Monastery was one of the biggest European
libraries in the period between the 15th and 17th century and was founded in
the 13th century. Its collection expands over 16,000 volumes, 240 incunabula
and important archives, among which are the oldest Latin translations of
Avicenna's works and a tractate of St. Thomas Aquinas (14th century).
CITY WALLS
Entrance fees for Adults: 70,00 kunas (The entrance ticket is also valid for Fort Lovrjenac. Children and young people from 5 - 18 years of age: 30,00 kunas (The entrance ticket is also valid for Fort Lovrjenac.). Students, journalists, Croatian army soldiers, policemen and disabled persons: 30,00 kunas.
All these breathtaking monuments are situated inside among the finest and mostcomplete city walls in Europe, protecting the freedom of Dubrovnik Republicfor centuries. They surround the entire Old City with their 1940 meters of lengthand up to 25 meters of height. The whole City Wall complex was built from the8th until the 16th century, consisting of an inner and outer section. There arefive bastions, 3 circular and 12 square and rectangular towers, two cornertowers, and one huge fortress. The outer section of City Walls consists of alower wall, having 10 semicircular bastions built by the famous Italian architectMichelozzo. The town is defended by two more separate fortresses, at Revelinon the eastern side and Lovrijenac on the southwest side. The easiest way toenter the city walls is where the whole story starts, at the beginning of Stradun,on west, next to Franciscan Monastery.
If you havent walked the walls you havent seen Dubrovnik!
Hope you have enjoyed this small selection of greatest monuments in Dubrovnik.
Sources:
Wikipedia
http://www.online-croatia.com/
http://www.dubrovnikcard.com
Photocredits go to Wikipedia contributers:
Beyond_silence NinaneArdfern Hedwig_Storch LastaHajotthuVedran SerbuVidanVeselin AtanasovJolleJaganjac
Curator: Karmen Skaro
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